A Year of Bridges, Resilience, and Community

As I write this final column of my presidency, I take a long breath. What a year. A year of building bridges and community, but also one during which our resilience was tested in unexpected ways. We celebrated Grace Wahba’s transformative work with the award of the International Prize in Statistics, launched ASA Discoveries, held successful conferences, and welcomed new members while we navigated uncertainty and a world being reshaped by applications of artificial intelligence. Through all of it, the American Statistical Association Board of Directors has been steady, thoughtful, and deeply committed to our community. I am grateful for their leadership and partnership every step of the way.

Looking Back: The Goals

In January, I began this journey with a simple message: Let’s build strong, sustainable bridges. That theme came with purpose and urgency. We set out to do the following:

• Grow visibility: Elevate the role of statistics in science and society.
• Enhance opportunities: Expand professional development and leadership programs.
• Foster inclusion: Strengthen our diverse and welcoming community.

Every initiative, every meeting, and every decision this year aimed to advance those goals.

On the Road: Meeting You

Serving as ASA president means you become a sort of traveling ambassador for our profession. I was invited to universities, industry research groups, and conferences of every kind, from the Women in Statistics and Data Science Conference to the Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference to the Fall Technical Conference to several ASA chapter meetings.

Through these visits, I got to know members I would not have met otherwise. Seeing their dedication to their work and our profession reminded me of how much quiet excellence keeps our field moving forward. 

I especially loved the conversations. Many of my talks focused on unpacking the questions I live with as a collaborative biostatistician: How do we find joy in work that is sometimes invisible? How do we show the impact of what we do when numbers alone can’t tell the whole story? How do we explain that data are not abstract objects, but traces of human life, reflecting strength, struggle, and resilience? Those conversations reminded me why we do this work. They reminded me of you.

Highlights from Nashville: Our Joint Statistical Meetings

We gathered in Music City this summer for JSM 2025. More than 4,600 statisticians and data scientists came together, energized by the sunshine, the music, and the chance to exchange ideas in formal sessions and serendipitous encounters.

Together, we gave awards to acknowledge our creativity, curiosity, and impact. We shared challenges and solutions. And we confirmed, once again, that the statistics community is alive, growing, and essential.

Partnership and Progress: Milestones of the Year

This year, we launched several major initiatives that strengthen the role of statisticians in biomedical science.

ASA and Nature Medicine signed a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding, leading to the recruitment of 48 statisticians across oncology, metabolic diseases, infectious diseases, and neurology/psychiatry to serve as the journal’s first statistical advisory panel. Following its success, Nature Aging is now exploring a similar partnership with the ASA Interest Group on Statistics and Data Science in Aging.

In September, we announced the launch of the Clinical Certificate Program. This is a long-needed training pathway that prepares statisticians, biostatisticians, and data scientists to excel in clinical research. Expert-designed and practice-focused, it will launch in spring of 2026 and help build the talent pipeline that drives innovation in patient care and public health.

StatsForward is one of the initiatives led by our beloved former ASA president, Dionne Price, whom we lost last year. I am committed to continuing its intended purpose. It rests on a simple but powerful belief: Early-career professionals are not just future leaders, but they’re ready now. StatsForward creates a sustainable path for leadership, bridging the gap between technical strength and leadership growth. The 2025 cohort has already been selected, and participants have begun their work with a SWOT analysis reflecting on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

The AI Era: Questions We Must Not Avoid

As AI advances, what is the role of our profession? This is the question I heard more than any other this year from students worried about the job market, senior colleagues concerned about the future of academic departments (even the future of higher education), and practitioners who want to ensure their expertise remains respected. 

The concern is real. But so is the opportunity. Data-centered disciplines are more important now than ever. AI requires statistical thinking for design, evaluation, and truth-seeking. We cannot stand on the sidelines. We must lead. That means buckle up, stay engaged, and help shape how AI is used in science, industry, and policy. Now, more than ever, we must work together to shape the future of our profession. The ASA is already addressing this challenge through multiple initiatives and collaborations.

New Channels, New Voices

This year also brought the launch of ASA Discoveries, a groundbreaking open-access journal dedicated to advancing research across the interconnected fields of statistics, data science, and artificial intelligence. This reflects the interdisciplinary nature of modern data sciences. New journals mean new voices and wider paths for visibility. They broaden what is possible and showcase the creativity of our community.

A Musician’s Reminder

I would be lying if I said this year was always smooth. Several times, I came close to quitting my local orchestra and chamber groups. The ASA schedule, teaching, mentoring, and research, all of it stretched me thin. My music practice slipped. In rehearsals, my playing sometimes felt like more of a burden than a contribution.

But my conductor and fellow musicians showed patience and kindness. They gave me space to keep going. And during one of our holiday concert rehearsals, as we played Betelehemu, I felt tears fall—a mix of exhaustion, gratitude, and relief. Those tears held the entire story of this year: the weight of the challenges we have faced and the strength we have shown together. Resilience. That’s what keeps us going as musicians, scientists, and human beings.

What This Year Meant to Me

Serving as your president was a deeply meaningful experience. I have always believed leadership is about service. Although my year as ASA president is coming to an end, I will continue to amplify voices, create opportunities, and help strengthen the profession we all care about. 

What moved me most was seeing the dedication within our community, people working in every corner of science, health, business, and society to make life better for others. Even when your work is unseen, its impact is undeniable.

Thank you for your trust. Thank you for showing up, for supporting one another, and for advancing our field with integrity and heart. I am honored to serve alongside you.

Looking Forward

I am excited about what comes next. President-Elect Jeri Mulrow will focus on strengthening local communities and member connections. I love this direction, and I will fully support her. With her leadership and your continued energy, the ASA will remain strong, modern, and inclusive. I will continue working alongside you, not from the front, but from within the community that made me who I am.

Not Goodbye

So, this isn’t a farewell. It is a thank you for a job well done and encouragement to keep going.

As the 2025 ASA president, the 120th in our history, I hand the baton to the next leader with pride and confidence. I will always hold this year close to my heart.

I look forward to seeing you again in meetings, on trains, and wherever our paths cross.

Let’s keep building bridges.

Let’s stay resilient.

And let’s continue shaping a future in which statistics and data science enrich society boldly, thoughtfully, and together.

See you soon.